Wahlenbergia plant named &#39;SPICI BELL&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Wahlenbergia  plant named ‘SPICI BELL’, characterized by having globular, compact plant habit; dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to a higher quantity of shorter stems; vigorous growth habit, but less need for chemical growth retardation; and higher number of upright, white flowers per plant.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Wahlenbergia procumbens

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘SPICI BELL’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofWahlenbergia plant, botanically known as Wahlenbergia procumbens Thunb.,commonly known as Wild Violet, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘SPICI BELL’.

The new Wahlenbergia, ‘SPICI BELL’, is a product of a planned breedingand selection and monitoring program conducted by the inventor, FinnPLOUGHELD, in Korup, Denmark. The new Wahlenbergia cultivar originatedfrom a polycross among seed plants of wild type Wahlenbergia procumbensand was selected in 2004 by the inventor. The inventor selected the newWahlenbergia cultivar on the basis of its sturdy, compact and freelyflowering habit. Plants of the new Wahlenbergia are more globular,compact and more freely flowering than plants of the wild type.

Asexual reproduction of the new Wahlenbergia cultivar by terminalcuttings taken and propagated since March of 2004 in Korup, Denmark, hasshown that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed forthe new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproducestrue-to-type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SPICI BELL’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SPICI BELL’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Globular, compact plant habit;

2. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to a higher quantity ofshorter stems;

3. Vigorous growth habit, but less need for chemical growth retardation;and

4. Higher number of upright, white flowers per plant.

Side-by-side comparisons between plants of the new Wahlenbergiacultivar, ‘SPICI BELL’ and plants of the Wahlenbergia procumbens wildtype were conducted by the inventor in Korup, Denmark. Plants of ‘SPICIBELL’ differ from plants of the Wahlenbergia procumbens wild type in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Plants of ‘SPICI BELL’ have pure white, upright, campanulate flowers.

2. Plants of ‘SPICI BELL’ have shorter internodes and petioles, butlarger leaves and more compact, globular growth than plants of theWahlenbergia procumbens wild type.

3. Plants of ‘SPICI BELL’ have shorter flower peduncles than plants ofthe Wahlenbergia procumbens wild type.

4. Plants of ‘SPICI BELL’ are more compact than the plants of theWahlenbergia procumbens wild type.

5. Plants of ‘SPICI BELL; have more flowers per plant than the plants ofthe Wahlenbergia procumbens wild type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar ‘SPICI BELL’, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which more accuratelydescribe the actual colors of ‘SPICI BELL’.

FIG. 1 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of‘SPICI BELL’, as grown in a 9.0 cm pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of typical flowering racemes, buds andleaves of‘SPICI BELL’.

FIG. 3 shows a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of theWahlenbergia procumbens wild type, as grown in a 9.0 cm pot.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of typical flowering racemes, buds andleaves of the Wahlenbergia procumbens wild type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Wahlenbergia cultivar ‘SPICI BELL’ has not been observed underall possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivarmay vary with variations in environment such as temperature, lightintensity, day length, and fertility level without any variance ingenotype.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the followingobservations, measurements and values describe plants of the newWahlenbergia cultivar ‘SPICI BELL’ as grown in a heated and lighted,glass-covered greenhouse in Korup, Denmark, under conditions whichclosely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The daytemperatures in the greenhouse ranged from 20-30° C. and the nighttemperatures ranged from 17-25° C. Ambient light levels were used whilegrowing plants of ‘SPICI BELL’. No photoperiodic treatments were usedwhen growing plants of ‘SPICI BELL’. The age of the ‘SPICI BELL’ plantsdescribed is 14 weeks old (after cutting, and retarded once usingPaclobutrazol) and grown in 9.0 cm pots. For commercial production, someretardation will be required, but less that is required for the parentwild type.

The photographs and descriptions were taken during the summer-fallseason when day temperatures in glass-covered greenhouse range from20-30° C. and when night average temperatures in glass-coveredgreenhouse range from 17-25° C.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart(RHS), 4^(th) edition, except where general colors of ordinarysignificance are used.

-   Classification:-   Botanical: Wahlenbergia procumbens-   Parentage: Seed plant from polycross of Wahlenbergia procumbens wild    type-   Propagation:-   Type cutting: Terminal vegetative cuttings. Two or more per pot    depending on pot size.-   Time to initiate roots: About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21° C., with    transparent foil covering, in a greenhouse.-   Root description: Fine, well branched-   Plant description:-   Form: Perennial plant with upright, spreading, globular plant habit.    Campanulate flowers in racemes. Freely branching with lateral    flowering branches forming at every node.-   Crop time: After rooting, about 11 weeks are required to produce    finished flowering plants in 9.0 cm pots.-   Vigor: Vigorous growth rate-   Plant height (soil level to top of plant plane): About 2.5 cm-   Plant spread (width): About 16 cm-   Lateral branches: Quantity: About 200 per plant. Length: About 6 cm.    Diameter: About 0.5 mm. About 10 to 20 leaves per lateral branch.-   Internode length: 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm.-   Stem: Shape: Round. Strength: Soft. Aspect: Creeping. Pubescence:    None. Color: RHS 138B, green.-   Foliage description: Single leaves arranged basally opposite and    apically alternate. If foliage dried, curry fragrance.    -   -   Length.—Length: About 4 mm.        -   Width.—About 5 mm.        -   Overall shape.—Round to obovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Cuneate, sessile.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Glabrous.        -   Pubescence.—None.        -   Color (immature).—Upper side: RHS 137C, green Underside: RHS            138B, green.        -   Color (mature).—Upper side: RHS 137C, green Underside: RHS            138B, green.        -   Venation.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 137C, green. Upper            surface: RHS 138D, green. Pattern: Costate.-   Flower description:-   Flower arrangement and shape: Upright campanulate flowers in    racemes. Flowers with small star shaped calyx.-   Natural flowering season: Continuous throughout the summer and fall.    Season can be extended by exposure to high irradiance.-   Flower longevity: Longevity of individual flowers on plant is about    4-5 weeks. Longevity of individual flowers is highly dependent on    temperature and light conditions. Flowers persistent, but wither to    insignificance.-   Time to flower: About 4-5 weeks.-   Fragrance: Weak.-   Inflorescence size: About 5-6 cm.-   Number of flowers per inflorescence: About 10-   Number of flowers per lateral stem: 5-   Number of flower buds per lateral stem: 4-   Number of flowers and buds per plant: About 400-   Buds:    -   -   Length.—Up to 9 mm.        -   Diameter.—Up to 3 mm.        -   Shape.—Clavate.        -   Color.—RHS 149D, light yellow green.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—About 5.        -   Length.—About 12 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 15 mm.        -   Shape.—Triangular, acute petal lobes, which are 3-6 mm long            and 4-6 mm wide at base. Fused.        -   Appearance.—Glabrous.        -   Texture.—Almost translucent, bi-ridged.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color (mature).—Both surfaces: White, whiter than RHS 155A.        -   Color (immature).—Both surfaces: White, whiter than RHS            155A.        -   Color Fades.—RHS 161A,greyed-yellow.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—5, occasionally 6.        -   Arrangement.—Free.        -   Appearance.—Star shaped.        -   Length.—About 3.0 mm.        -   Width.—Basally: about 1.5 mm.        -   Overall shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Tip.—Aristulate.        -   Base.—Sessile, fused to ovary.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Color (immature).—Upper and under surfaces, RHS 145B,            yellow-green.        -   Color (mature).—Upper surface: RHS 143B, green. Under            surface: RHS 143A, green.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—About 6.0 mm to 11.0 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 0.5 mm.        -   Strength.—Moderately Strong.        -   Angle.—Varies from 15 to 30 degrees from stem.        -   Color.—RHS 138C, green.-   Reproductive organs:-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamen.—Quantity: About 5.        -   Anther.—Shape: Clavate. Length: About 2.5 mm. Color: RHS            155B, white.        -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: RHS 155C, white.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—Quantity: 1. Length: About 4.5 mm.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Tripartite. Color: RHS 155C, white.        -   Style.—Length: About 4 mm. Color: RHS 155A, white.        -   Ovary.—Color: RHS 155A, white.-   Seeds:    -   -   Quantity.—About 100 per flower.        -   Length.—About 1.0 mm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.0 mm.        -   Texture.—Glabrous, hard.        -   Color.—RHS 199A, grey-brown.-   Growth retardants: Paclobutrazol and STS-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Wahlenbergia have exhibited    good tolerance to drought, rain and wind, with low temperature    resistance to +1.5° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: ‘SPICI BELL’ is not resistant to any    diseases or pests typical to Wahlenbergia cultivars.-   Disease/pest susceptibility: ‘SPICI BELL’ is susceptible to    Botrytis.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Wahlenbergia plant named ‘SPICI BELL’, as illustrated and described herein. 